


Five Ways John's Heart Was Broken and One it Wasn't

by chellefic



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: 5 Times, First Kiss, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-09-17
Updated: 2006-09-17
Packaged: 2018-05-03 12:21:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 472
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5290607
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chellefic/pseuds/chellefic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What the title says.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Five Ways John's Heart Was Broken and One it Wasn't

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Danvers.

**Way 1**

He's in the fifth grade when the school starts giving them real report cards instead of just S's and O's. There were other letters too, but John's never gotten one of those.

This time he has A's, a whole slew of them.

He runs home.

His father looks at it, grunts, and hands it back.

John never shows him a report card again.

**Way 2**

He'd made it. Skinny, awkward John Sheppard was now a football player, complete with helmet, knee pads and a team jersey.

It takes him less than a week to realize there is a difference between being on the team and being part of the team.

**Way 3**

"Dear John"

Nothing good could come of those two words, not even when your name was John.

He barely skims the note in his hand before crumpling it into a ball. His stuff isn't enough to fill the apartment, but he tells himself it's okay because he likes open spaces.

He drops onto the couch and picks up the remote. Yup, John Sheppard and open spaces have a long history.

**Way 4**

"You know he's only got that silver leaf because of Weir."

"You don't know that."

"Do you really think he made it to light colonel on his own? No way, not with his record."

"So they what? Promoted him so they wouldn't have a major running things?"

"That's what I heard."

They don't know he's heard and John walks away before they see him. At least now he knows.

**Way 5**

Holland doesn't buy the first round in Kandahar.

Or the second.

No one buys John a round.

When the others raise their glasses in remembrance, John watches from the corner.

Swallowing round two in a single gulp, he orders number three.

**And One**

Heart sinking, John drew back.

Rodney was staring at him, eyes wide. "Was that… you… um…" He licked his lower lip.

"Yes?"

"Oh."

John peered at him, trying to make sense of the "oh", but Rodney merely looked puzzled and a little surprised. "Was that a good 'oh' or a bad 'oh?'"

Rodney licked his upper lip this time. "It's an I-don't-know 'oh.'"

"Oh."

"Did you, um… was that…" Rodney moves one hand as he's talking, and John thinks maybe it's a good sign.

"It was a kiss."

"I know that. I just don't know why."

"Why?"

"Who, what, when, where, why. Who--you and I. What--a kiss. When--" Rodney looked at his watch, "roughly three minutes ago. Where--here. But I don't why."

Right. Why. John can explain why. "Well, you… I… you… I just…"

Apparently it was an explanation that made sense to Rodney, because he closed the space between them and pressed his lips to John's.

"Oh," John said when they parted.

Rodney nodded and kissed him again.


End file.
